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(No Model.)

J. H. PONES.

GONPORMATOR FOR THUMBS. No. 373,651. Patented Nov. 22, 1887.

I J! H III UNITED STATES PATENT Fries.

JOHN H. FONES, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

CONFORMATOR FOR THUMBS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 373,651, dated November 22, 1887.

Application filed August 25. 1887. Serial No. 247,879.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN H. FONES, of Oakland, Alameda county, State of California, have invented an Improvement in Thumb Identity Machines; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to a device for identifying persons by means of an accurate outline of the thumb.

It consists of a series of vertically-arranged staves hinged together about a suitable support, and having blades corresponding with them and sharpened at the lowerend. In connection with these staves are springs by which the staves and blades are drawn toward each other, the upper ends of the staves being made flaring or diverging, so that the thumb may be introduced between them, and these elastic cords will cause the staves to fit closely against the sides of the thumb and produce a perfect outline thereof.

An impression table situated below the knives has a sheet of paper or other surface upon which the outline is to be impressed or cut. This table is raised by a lever or other suitable device, so as to come in contact with the blades, and thus fornrthe desired outline or out upon the sheet.

Referring to-the accompanying drawings for a more complete explanation of my invention, Figure 1 is a View of the device. Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the base.

A is the base, having the standard B rising from one side, asshown. Projecting from this standard over the central portion of the base is avertical plate orfiange, C, to the frontend of which the staves D are attached, as follows: A plate, E, projects from the front edge of the plate 0, this plate having the rear end made semicircular in shape, the plate extending with parallel sides a distance sufficient to allow one half (more or less) of the length of the thumb to be laid upon the plate, which is narrower than the thumb of any person. Around this plate are arranged the vertical staves D, which are hinged together at points F and G, and their upper ends are flared outwardly, as shown, so that when the thumb is laid in between them they will spread apart to allow the thumb to be laid in and rest upon the (No model.)

plate E. This plate has a horizontal channel or slot made through it from side to side, and elastic rubber or other springs, G, passing through this channel, are attached to staves upon opposite sides, so that by their elasticity they draw the staves toward the plate E. \Vhen the thumb is introduced, the elasticity of these springs will cause the staves to press against the sides and end of the thumb, thus forming a perfect outline of its shape.

From the lower ends of the stares knives or cutters H extend downward, so that their lower edges, which are sharpened, form a perfeet line corresponding with any shape that may be given by the introduction of the thumb between the staves above. The cutting-edges of these blades are exactly in line with the hinge-pins by which the staves are connected together, so that the edges will always remain in perfect line, whatever curves they and the staves may assume.

If desired,marking edges may be substituted for the cutters with essentially the same result.

In the central portion of the base A is a vertically-moving table, I, which is raised upwardly by means of the lever J, projecting through the rear of the standard B, and the lever is retained in its highest position by means of the spring K, suitably connected with it or placed below, as may be desired.

The standard B has a dovetailed groove or channel made in its rear portion, and a verticallysliding bar, L, is fitted to this channel, having a knob upon the top by which it may bepressed downward, so that its lower end, pressing upon the lever J, will raise the table I and bring it into contact with the cuttingedges of the knives uponthe lower ends of the stav es, before described. Upon this table may be laid a sheet of paper or other substance upon which it is desired to cut, stamp, or retain the impression of the exact shape of the thumb which has been placed within the staves above, and this may then be labeled and laid away for future reference.

The staves have projections or shoulders which extend below the plate E, so that when the block is brought up in violent contactwith the blades for the purpose of making a cut or impression the staves will be supported by these shoulders, and thus prevented from be ing forced out of position. It is well known' that the thumbs of no twoindividuals are exactly alike, and in cases where it is necessary to identify persons, either criminals, immigrants, or others, it is very advantageously done by the use of this apparatus.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-' 1. The device consisting of the hinged or jointed staves with spring or elastic connections whereby they are drawn together, aspace between which the thumb may be introduced, so that the staves will take the form of the thumb, in combination with knives or markers, whereby an exact impression may be taken of the form between the staves,substantially as herein described.

2. The vertically-arranged staves hinged together, having the knives or markers at the lower end, a plate around which the staves are arranged and upon which the thumb may be -laid betweensaid staves, in combination with springs or elastic devices for drawing the stav-es into close contact with the thumb, substan-' tially as herein described.

3. The vertically-arranged hinged staves having the upper ends made divergent, the

' horizontallyprojecting thumb plate around .which said staves are arranged, and springs or,

elastic devices by which they are drawn inwardly toward each other, in combination with the cutting knives or markers connected with the staves, so as to form a continuous line corresponding with the shape of the thumb between the staves, and the vertically-moving table for impressingsaid outline, substantially as herein described.

4. The vertically-arranged staves having knives or markers at thelower end corresponding with the staves, the horizontal thumbplate, and the elastic springs, in combination with the projections or lugs extending from the staves from .beneath the plate, so as to resist the upward thrust of the impressiontaole, substantially as herein described.

5. The vertically-arranged hinged staves surrounding the horizontal thumb-plate, having lugs or projections extending beneath the plate, and a series of knives or markers connected with the lower end of the states, so as to form an outline corresponding with the thumb-plates between the upper ends of the staves, in combination with the vertically-moving impression block or table, the lever and actuating arm or slide, and the returning spring or weight, substantially as herein described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JOHN H. FONES.

\Vitnesses:

S. H. NoUnsE, H. 0. LEE. 

